Sam Shepherd Illustration

AMBIVALENCE

THE COMPELLING VISUALS JUXTAPOSE BEAUTY AND SOCIAL ASPIRATIONS WITH CORRUPTION AND SATIRE; IT IS THESE CONCEPTS THAT FORM THE FOUNDATION OF SAM'S

WORK. RICH, VIBRANT MATERIALS AND COLOURS ARE USED TO CREATE STUNNING IMAGES, THE PROPORTIONS OF WHICH ARE MANIPULATED TO FOCUS THE AUDIENCE

UPON SPECFIC ASPECTS THAT SAM WISHES TO HIGHLIGHT. PRINTS AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE ASPECTS OF FASHION

ILLUSTRATION THAT ARE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE MIRROED AND MULTI-FACETED CHARACTERS THAT LACK CONTROL AND DIRECTION, THEIR IDENTITY BROKEN DUE

TO THEIR CONFLICTING NOTIONS OF FASHION. SAM REFLECTS UPON HIS FASCINATION OF INSECTS BEING

INCORPORATED INTO THE DESIGNS. THIS REFLECTS THE 19TH CENTURY INTEREST IN ENTOMOLOGY AND ART

NOUVEAU INSPIRED IMAGERY.

THE AMBIVALENCE DEVELOPING TOWARDS HIGH FASHION IS DISTILLED IN THESE IMAGES. THE MODELS HAVE BEEN

TRANSPORTED TO WASHED OUT PASTEL LANDSCAPES AND INVERTED IMAGINARY WORLDS. THIS ALLOWS THE MODEL AND THE INSECTS TO MOVE OUT OF THE IMAGE. THE SHEER

BEAUTY OF THE CREATURES, WITH THEIR KALDEISCOPE OF COLOUR, OFFERS A VISUAL IMPACT TO THE VIEWER.

THE TRANSIENT NATURE OF FASHION IS CAPTURED BY THE INSECTS' GEOMETIRICAL FALL FROM THE HANDS OF THE

MODELS AS THEY FAIL TO GRASP THE EPHEMERAL NATURE OF FASHION. ARGUABLY, THE MAJORITY OF HUMANS, PERCEIVE INSECTS AS REPELLENT, AND DO NOT 'SEE' THE AESTHETIC APPEAL. THER DICHOTOMY BETWEEN

FUNCTIONALITY, VALUE AND DESIRABILITY IS FOUND IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY ESPICALLY THE CLASSIM ASSOCIATED

WITH COUTURE AND READY TO WEAR; HENCE, THE JUXTAPOSTION SEEN IN THIS BOOK.